


It Was Ineffable

by ServantOfMischief



Series: Family, Friends and Pet Snakes [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Crawley and Basilisk are snusbands now, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Don't Try Michael's Patience, Drama, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I will never abandon Crawly and Basilisk, Mentions of homophobia, Michael is a lawyer, Navigating being an adult, Protective Michael, The snakes are here, There's just a whole lot of fluff okay, it is not easy, violation of privacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24323767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ServantOfMischief/pseuds/ServantOfMischief
Summary: Babylon has reached adulthood and moved out of her parents home (Crowley cried), began dating (Aziraphale looked constipated when she told him), and is now attending university and living with her two closest friends. Now, what kind of life would she lead if she didn't get into tiny accidents, embarrass herself and lose all control of the words leaving her when she meets kind, handsome strangers?Not one suited for her. She is Babylon Crowley-Fell, and she is a walking disaster and everyone knows it. She takes a lot after Crowley.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Family, Friends and Pet Snakes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752367
Comments: 33
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

When Babylon began attending university, she had moved into a flat alongside Bethany and Sara. The one who reacted well to her moving out was, unsurprisingly, Aziraphale. That was a shock to absolutely no one. What did come as a shock was that when she got into a relationship, Crowley was the one very much okay with it, taking her out on shopping sprees and helped her out with her make-up and every tiny little thing, and Aziraphale was the one who looked slightly constipated (that is very much an understatement, he looked downright heartbroken at the thought of his little girl dating). The relationship didn’t last more than a month, but that was okay. Babylon and her ex-boyfriend parted on good terms. It was a little awkward on family night when Babylon showed up on her own with no boyfriend, but they got through it, Aziraphale seeming happier than the others and not having the proper courtesy to hide it. Babylon chose not to comment on it. His little girl growing up needs to be taken step by step. That was when she was in her first year of university.

Now she is a little over six months away from her bachelor’s degree, which she will probably turn into a master’s degree at the very end of it all, and it is _snowing_ in London. Miracles do happen sometimes, she thinks as she’s packing her overnight bag, getting ready for a weekend at her current boyfriend’s place. She’s not feeling all that excited about it. There’s been a distance lately, and when she asked for advice to how to deal with it, her parents had told her to have a proper talk with her boyfriend, so that’s what she’s going to do. She just hopes it works out.

“You sure you want to do this?” Babylon looks up and sees Sara and Bethany standing by the door, Sara leaning against the frame with her arms crossed and schooling her expression, while Bethany just looks a slight bit worried. That’s not new. These two have not been particularly happy with John lately, and Babylon is glad to know they have her back, even if it has been kind of exhausting to keep the balancing act on-going. 

“Well, if I want this to work out, the two of us need to talk. Something is bothering _him_ , not me.” The blonde says. The brunette looks to Bethany before she sighs and turns towards Babylon again.

“I know that it isn’t really any of my business, but he’s made you miserable for some time, and, well, I don’t think he’s worth it.” Sara mutters, appearing a bit uncomfortable as she says this, as if she’s waiting for Babylon to grow angry with her for butting in with an opinion the blonde did not ask for.

“So you’ve said. What about you, Bettie?” The dark-haired woman holds her hands up, waving them.

“Oh no, I’m not getting involved. I learned my lesson with the whole Caleb-debacle.” Babylon chuckles at that. She values their opinions, because it’s much easier for them to look at the couple objectively. They can see what Babylon doesn’t, but it is still her relationship, and she has to make the final decisions herself.

“Well,” the blonde zips up the bag and throws it over her shoulder, “I’m not thinking either of you are _entirely_ wrong, _and_ that you’re both thinking the same thing. Something is off, and it has made me miserable, but we’ve been together for seven months. I’m not going to throw it away without even attempting at figuring out what is wrong.”

“And if you can’t?” Sara asks as she moves out of the way for her friend.

“Then it won’t work out and I’ll be so depressed I’ll let Bettie hook me up with a guy.”

“Do _not_. That’s the worst choice you could ever make, and you know it.” Sara deadpans and Bethany smacks her arm with an indignant yell.

“I’m joking. But let’s see what happens first, yeah?” Babylon says her goodbyes before she heads towards the bus stop. She doubts it’ll be a very pleasant weekend, because they are in a rough patch right now, but they are also adults. They just need to talk, find the root of the problem, and take it from there. They can work this out.

That was her thought at 7 in the evening. At two in the morning, as she’s aimlessly walking down the streets of London, soaked and cold because the snow has turned into rain, she’s, well, she’s not exactly quite sure what is going on anymore. She knows she had found the problem that had caused this distance, the source of the misery. It’s just not something she thought _would_ be an issue after seven months of dating. It’s fucking ridiculous and insulting is what it is, and she feels stupid, angry, empty, hurt and sad beyond-beyond, ugh she doesn’t even have the proper words for it right now. She feels numb, in a way, and she hates it, she hates this fucked up world, with its fucked-up prejudice, she hates men like her ex, they can go fu-

She’s brought out of her thoughts when she bumps into someone and nearly bowls over by the force of the collision.

“Oh, shit, sorry!” She blinks and looks up, seeing a man who appears a bit worried, holding an umbrella and is dry while she’s soaked and don’t even know where the fuck she is.

“No, it’s my fault.” She grits out. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She moves to walk past him and manages three steps before he speaks again.

“You, er, you okay?” It’s a simple, honest question, and Babylon opens her mouth to give him a light-hearted answer, because she doesn’t know this man, and she doesn’t want to burden him with some random woman’s drama. She closes it again when she finds herself unable to answer verbally, or to even fake a cheery expression because, just look at her. A blind person can see how miserable she is right now, so she just shakes her head.

“Okay.” The man says. “Do you live nearby?”

“Mayfair.” It’s not true, not anymore, but it’s the first place she could think of. It’s where she wants to go right now, it’s where she will get unconditional love and support and comfort without any questions.

“That’s too far to walk.” The man says, rubbing the back of his head and looking a bit uncertain. “If you’d like, I could give you a ride? I, uh, I’m not trying anything, but the weather is shit, and, well, you’ll be walking all night.” Babylon is too tired to care much about anything, so she just nods and lets the man lead her to his car. He has her hold the umbrella as he drapes his jacket over the seat. Once they are both in, he asks her to direct him. 

“Okay.” She says, fastening her seatbelt. If she was feeling even remotely as herself, she would not have gotten into a car with a stranger. Because that can be both dangerous and stupid, but when she begins to recognize the streets they’re driving, she starts to come into herself.

“Take a right here.” The man does as told. “Another right. Then a left.” He takes a right and a left.

“Straight down here, it’s that tall, grey building.” The car rolls to a stop and Babylon takes a deep breath, only to jerk startled when the man hands her his umbrella. She stares at him, then the umbrella, and tilts her head questioningly.

“I’m already soaked.” She’s confused as to why he’s giving her the umbrella when she’s arrived at her destination, where she will get a change of clothes and a hot shower.

“You’re dryer now than when you got in. Humour me.” So she accepts it with a nod, and gets out of the car, opening the umbrella and shuffling towards the doors. She can hear the car drive away the moment she enters the building, and Babylon realizes she never even thanked the man. She finds the elevator, and this ride is the only thing all night that feels like it’s moving at normal speed. She finds the door and rings the bell, twice.

Aziraphale answers the door a few moments later, clad in his tartan robe that Crowley still gives him shit for, appearing a wee bit annoyed. Until he sees who is at the door, and the state she is in.

“Me and John broke up.” And the moment she is wrapped in a tight embrace, she breaks down.


	2. Chapter 2

Babylon has to admit that, a month later on and near her finals before Christmas, she feels a whole lot better, lighter. She feels good about herself, knowing that she didn’t compromise who she is for anyone, least of all the homophobic, bigoted shithead John had turned out to be. She feels good about herself even if she had to sit through three rants from Sara about how angry she is that Babylon didn’t call them and got into a car with a total stranger, five rants about how she knows how to hide a body if Babylon wants to commit murder, and two sappy speeches about how sorry she is that John had been so mean. It had been fun to listen to, in all honesty. In some weird way, it had cheered her up. This was Sara’s way of supporting her friend.

How did Bethany support her friend, you wonder? This is how she did it.

“Was that car-dude hot?”

“ _So_ hot.”

“Nice.”

But even after all that, she finds herself with a lot of free time. Free time she can dispense to do what she wants and needs. She can work and study and spend time with friends without being texted or called and being asked where she is at all times- oh. Oh dear.

“That was a red flag, wasn’t it?” And it explains his cruel and misguided words when they argued and broke up. She puts down her teacup and ponders about it.

“Hm?” Sara looks up from her heavily marked textbook. Bethany isn’t paying much attention as her eyes are trailing over the people in the café they’re resting in, already in a state of despair over having her finals looming over her. She always frets and stresses and think she’s going to screw everything up, and ends up with the best grades amongst them all anyway.

“What John did when we were together, wanting to know where I was all the time.”

“Oh yes, massive red flag. I mentioned it, twice.” Babylon frowns, trying to recall when that could have happened, and remembers suddenly how very early on in the relationship when Sara had looked rather sceptical over a text message John had sent and pointed out how it seemed rather, well, forceful. Babylon had not taken it very seriously, and she regrets it now. Wasted seven bloody months of her life on that asshole, she did.

“Why are you carrying that umbrella with you?” Bethany suddenly joins the conversation and Babylon looks down at the white umbrella with tiny green spots, which she recently realized is actually tons of tiny frogs. It’s kind of cute, and not what she ever would have envisioned someone like hot-car-dude to walk around with. Her daddy would scold her and tell her not to judge a book by its cover if she told him. His favourite saying, that.

“Well, it’s not mine, so if I by chance see hot-car-dude, I can give it back.” And to thank the man properly, because he did do something very nice to a total stranger. Who knows what could have happened if she had wandered through London all alone? Her phone starts beeping, warning her that she has another class coming up, the last one of the day, so she finishes her tea and pulls on her coat.

“One more class, and I’ll be done. I’ll see you guys at home later on, yeah?” She tells her roommates as she moves towards the exit. If she hurries, she might actually get a good seat. That’s her last thought before she finds herself a sudden victim to both the iced steps and gravity. There’s a loud crack as she lands.

30 minutes later she finds herself in a hospital bed, scowling at her swollen ankle, arms crossed over her chest. Bethany sits beside her bed, trying not to laugh, and failing spectacularly.

“One word…” Babylon threatens, and Bethany covers her mouth, trying so hard not to let a sound escape her. Babylon may actually have hurt herself pretty bad after all, but the way she’s behaving, like a child annoyed that she is not getting her way and is being majorly inconvenienced, just makes the whole situation rather comedic.

“I’m sorry, Babs.” Bethany says. “I’ll make your favourite when you come home tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Bethany sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose at her friend’s outburst.

“Were you too busy sulking to listen to the doctor? They need to x-ray your leg, but it’s very busy, so they want you to stay overnight.”

“Don’t leave me here alone with nothing to do!”

“I brought your bag, you’ve got your books and notebooks, you’ll have something to do while you’re here.” Bethany rolls her eyes at Babylon’s dramatics. “And I’ll stay until the nurse comes to get you, okay.” Babylon does not seem very happy about it, but there isn’t much she can do anyway. She can’t just jump out of bed and walk off with this leg, so she just wiggles to get comfortable and glares at her ankle.

“You’ve disappointed me.” She growls. “You’re lucky I don’t fancy the thought of changing you out for a prosthetic, you pathetic excuse of an ankle.”

“… Did you just threaten your own leg?” Bethany snorts and looks up when a wheelchair is pushed up to the bed, a nurse dressed in the pinkest scrubs to have ever existed smiling down at them.

“A slot has opened up, let’s go get your leg looked at.” Babylon’s head snaps up at the voice, and then she haphazardly throws herself out of her bed over the side and Bethany just barely manages to catch the back of her shirt before the blonde topples over and onto the hard floor. She can’t even begin to ask what the hell the blonde is doing before Babylon is waving a hand up.

“Pull me up.” She demands and Bethany just stares before she growls.

“Pull you up? Why did you almost throw yourself off of the bed in the first place?!” Bethany snaps, but does pull Babylon up anyways, and sees her friend hold the umbrella. The bloody white umbrella with all its tiny and bloody cute little frogs all over it.

“Thank you for this, and your help the other day.” Babylon says, and Bethany looks up at the nurse, seeing that he is a rather handsome brunette with an impressive scruff. Someone dropped shaving themselves that morning. Pretty hot though.

“Oh, it’s you.” The man says, accepting the umbrella. “I would ask if you’re feeling better, but…” He gives a pointed stare at the swollen and discoloured ankle.

“I slipped on the ice.” Babylon pouts. “I was heading for class.”

“How is it? Any pain?”

“It wasn’t so bad, until I leaned over-“

“Until you threw yourself out of bed like a lunatic when the doctor told you to lie still.” Bethany huffs before holding out a hand for the man to shake. “Hi, I’m Bethany. The doctor said you might have to keep her overnight. Does she still have to, if you can get her x-rays now?”

“Bada, a pleasure. If the doctor said to keep her overnight, then we’ll keep her overnight.” Bada says, and Bethany nods.

“Then I’ll come pick you up tomorrow. Remember to call your dads.”

“And give them a heart attack?” Babylon scoffs, but doesn’t say that she won’t. “It’s probably just a sprain anyway.” She waves Bethany off as the dark-haired woman leaves.

It is not a sprain. Her ankle is broken, but it’s a simple break, so she doesn’t need surgery. Knowing this, Babylon calls her parents to tell them what has happened. Only two seconds into the conversation does she regret not calling them earlier.

“ _You wot?”_ Babylon is a grown woman, an adult very capable of taking care of herself, but listening to her dad on the other end does make her feel like a child, even as she has to say it all over again.

“I broke my ankle.”

_“When?!”_ Crowley demands.

“…. A few hours ago?”

“ _A few- Babylon! Why didn’t you call us?”_

_“_ Bethany was with me.” The blonde tries to defend herself. “And I thought it was just a sprain.”

“ _But it’s broken.”_

“A simple break, or well, I don’t need surgery, just a plastic cast. Look, I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to worry you over nothing.”

_“Which turned out to be something._ ”

“Do you have to be so technical? You sound like daddy.” Babylon rolls her eyes, praying that the pain medication can set in properly and she can excuse herself from this conversation and sleep until tomorrow. This is embarrassing enough, she doesn’t need to be scolded.

“ _You’re on speaker, my dear.”_ Aziraphale’s voice cuts in and the blonde blinks.

“I love you?” She tries to wriggle out of trouble like a snake.

“ _I love you too, dearest. Do you need us to come pick you up?”_ And so she explains to them that she is to be kept overnight, that she has got the cast and will come visit them once she’s got everything under control, and can get Bethany to drive her.

“ _Seems like you’ve got everything under control. Why’d you need us for?”_ Crowley teases and she raises a brow, sorely tempted to point out that he was the one who had been freaking out about this whole situation just a minute ago, but swallows it down and exhales.

“Just because I’m twenty-two, it does not mean I don’t need my two dads coddling me.” There’s laughter on the other side, and Aziraphale tells her that they will come pick her up whenever she wants to come over, so there is no need to bother Bethany with driving her.

“ _Just to make sure you avoid any further accidents.”_

“I’m not sure if you’re sassing me or honestly trying to be helpful.”

“ _You’ll never know._ ” And thus the conversation ends and Babylon glares at her phone screen. Oh her father is a real bastard, but she also loves that about him. When it’s not directed against her, that is. She rests back in her hospital bed, pulling a book out of her bag, beginning to read. It doesn’t take long before it’s a bit hard to concentrate and she groans, dropping the book in her lap.

“Everything alright?” She looks up to see Bada poke his head in and she makes a gesture for him to enter the room.

“Yeah, just finished calling my dads. They are not impressed with me. I dig those pink scrubs, by the way.” She finger-guns him and he laughs.

“Pain meds finally kicking in, hm?”

“Oh yeah, but I do like the pink.”

“I’ve been told I can pull it off.” Bada replies.

“Flawlessly.” Babylon giggles as she reaches for her bag and rummages around it to find a marker.

“Hey, won’t you sign my cast?”

“Sign your cast?”

“I’ve never broken anything before, and this is my first cast. Come on, hero-man, sign it!” Bada accepts the marker and scribbles something where she can’t quite see what he writes. He grins at her when she complains about it, and tells her that her friends will have to read it for her. She pouts at him, but he doesn’t give in and tell her.

“You’ll be going home tomorrow, Ms. Crowley-Fell. You’ll feel better when you’re in a familiar environment.”

“How did you go from being my hero to teasing me?” He mutters something about how pain meds do the most amazing things to patients before he checks his watch.

“Well, I have to go, as I was just going to check up on you. I hope you feel better in the morning.” He says and Babylon waves after him as he leaves. She decides to tuck in early for the night, but the moment she wakes up the next morning and remembers how the pain medication removed any and all filters for her the evening before she grows absolutely mortified and hides her face in her pillow.

Someone, kill her now.


	3. Chapter 3

Babylon is glaring at the picture Bethany had taken of her cast. Babylon had woken up alone in the hospital the day after her admittance, a new nurse had wheeled her out to the exit and let her friends sweep away with her after making sure Babylon had her prescriptions and understood she had to keep her leg elevated and wriggle her toes every now and then. Babylon had thanked the nurse for the help and had hobbled on rather gracelessly on her new crutches. The first thing Sara had said when it was her turn to scribble on the plastic cast once Babylon had returned to the flat was:

“You scored.”

“I what now?” And Bethany had taken a photo of the cast and Babylon had flushed a bright red at the sight, and the memories that came rushing back when she asked the nurse to be the very first to sign her cast. The man had scribbled a name and a telephone number. _Bada Hathaway._ She has a name to the hot-car-guy-turned-nurse now. Smooth move, pink scrubs, smooth move.

“Are you going to call him?” Bethany had asked and Babylon had yanked on the blanket covering her up to her nose and turned her back on them.

“Fuck off.” Now, that was two weeks ago, and she’s about to go in for a check-up, to see how well her ankle has healed in the cast and to see if her physical therapy is working out. She’s become rather graceful on crutches now, if she does say so herself (that is a lie, she is as graceful using crutches as Bambi was on the bloody ice), but she’d really like a familiar face right now. Being alone in the hospital for a check-up is more nerve-wracking than she thought it would be, and now she kind of regrets telling her parents she didn’t need any chaperones. She can’t call them now though. They’d come running for sure, but she’d rather not they close up shop on her account. Babylon had honestly thought it wouldn’t be so bad, but the smell of the hospital, which most people associated with absurd cleanliness… No, it’s not pleasant.

So while sitting there in the waiting room, she fiddles with her phone for a little while, before she just decides to swallow her pride. She’s uncomfortable, she doesn’t want to be alone, not in a hospital, not here. Not for this first check-up.

_Do you have a shift today? I’m here for a check-up, and it’d be nice to see a friendly face, but if you’re on shift, you probably don’t have your phone on you._

She hits send and rests against the back of the chair before she realizes that she didn’t tell him who it was that sent the message.

_This is Babylon Crowley-Fell, by the way._ The idiot who, high on pain meds, finger-gunned him in a stupidly flirty way, she refrains from adding. Well, now she feels a bit stupid. She doesn’t expect much of an answer, none really, so when a shadow falls over her, she believes she is to be fetched for the doctor. Instead she sees a casually dressed Bada with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Hi.”

“Hey…”

“You need company?” God yes, she thinks and gestures for him to take the empty seat beside her. He drops the backpack to the floor as he sinks into the chair with a sigh. Well, she wanted company, but now that he is here, she doesn’t quite know what to say.

“Since you’re here,” Babylon begins, feeling a bit awkward, “are you heading in for work?”

“Leaving, actually.” Bada says with a shrug. “I was on my way out.” Babylon glances down at her phone, checking the time.

“At 9 in the morning?”

“Nightshift.” He says, stretching his legs out for a few moments, before pulling them back in under the seat with a sigh.

“Oh.” Shit, Babylon thinks. “Then I won’t keep you.” He gives her a puzzled look.

“But you hinted in your text that you didn’t want to be alone.”

“Well yeah, but I don’t want to keep you here after you finished a shift. Aren’t you tired?” Being up all night is probably a whole lot different when it’s for work than when you just want to have a movie night all night long. It must be exhausting to have a work-mindset when you’re supposed to be asleep, even if you’re used to it.

“I’ll be fine. You’re just here for a check-up, right? That won’t take long anyways.” He tells her and settles properly into the chair, finally appearing comfortable. Babylon sighs then, feeling like a real shit when she speaks up again.

“I don’t want to be rude, with you showing up when I asked and all, but… you look like shit.” She expects him to be annoyed with her, say something along the lines that if she’s going to behave like that, he’ll remove himself from her sight and go home. What does happen instead, is the man barking out a laugh in surprise.

“Twelve hour shifts tends to do that to you.” He says, a-matter-of-fact.

“Jesus Christ, go home and sleep.” Babylon pushes at him, feeling more than a bit bad for asking for company despite the fact that she didn’t know that he had a nightshift. After all, this is the first time they’ve actually properly talked, without her being near on catatonic or high on pain medication.

“I can take care of myself, being a big girl and all.”

“Being a _‘big girl’_ doesn’t mean you don’t need someone every now and then.” Bada says and Babylon blinks, before laughing quietly.

“You sound a lot like my father.” Aziraphale would have said something like that too. And it’s not like she thinks they are wrong, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and deal with it, even if it is a slightly uncomfortable situation. As long as it doesn’t give you any lasting damage, mentally or physically, then just grit your teeth, you can do it. And Babylon is more than capable of sitting by herself for a few minutes.

“A hospital is the last place you want to be alone and uncomfortable in.” He adds and she has to agree, and accept that no matter what she says, he won’t leave her and go home while they wait.

“You’ll have to let me thank you.” She says. “When you’re not looking as if you’ll drop dead at a moment’s notice, that is.” He laughs again, slapping a hand over his chest dramatically.

“You wound me with your cruel, cruel words.” They don’t have to wait long before Babylon is called up, and Bada watches as the woman struggles to her feet, er, foot, and hobbles away. She glances over her shoulder and throws out a “thank you” as she follows the doctor into a room. It doesn’t take very long, true to Bada’s words, and soon she is hobbling her way outside. She manages to get to the bus stop, and huffs as she sees that it is still quite some time before the next bus going anywhere near her flat will arrive. She quickly decides that it is too cold to wait outside, so she turns around to head back into the hospital, only to stop when a familiar car pulls into the bus stop, the window on the passenger side rolling down.

“Need a lift?”

“Why are you still here?” Babylon asks incredulously but gets inside the car anyways. This time he drives her to her flat, the drive filled with friendly chatter. Bada is a nice person, Babylon decides. He can become a good friend if they keep this up.

“Why’d you give me your number?” Well, she had planned on using more tact than that when asking, but now it is out there.

“No reason, really.” Bada admits.

“Guys don’t give girls their numbers for no reason.” Babylon says and he makes a noise of agreement.

“No, we usually don’t, but I don’t have a reason for it, no ulterior motive, as it is. You just seemed like you needed someone to talk to.” And isn’t that incredibly sweet of him.

“I do have friends.” She sasses and he shrugs.

“And sometimes we need someone who doesn’t know everything about us to listen.” And that, weirdly enough, makes sense, the woman thinks as he stops outside her building and she unbuckles her seatbelt. She sits for a few minutes, thinking his offer over before reaching a decision, however stupid it might be.

“I’d… I’d like to talk, if you’re willing to listen.” She never thought she’d actually talk about her problems with someone who hasn’t known her for a long time, someone who didn’t know most sides of her.

“I am.”

“Not today though.” She hurries to say. “Because frankly, you’re in desperate need of your beauty sleep, and I’ve got some exercises to do so my toes don’t fall off, but if you’re free sometime next week, we could meet up?” Wow she is _incredibly_ good at offending people offering her help.

“I’d like that. Call when you need me, and we can set up a time.” Bada says and she smiles at him before sliding out of the car, in a not very graceful manner but she feels like she’s giving up on even trying, and heads towards the doors, up the stairs, into her flat and collapses onto the couch. Why is it so damn exhausting to only have one leg to walk on? And why is she, who practiced dance for over a decade so bloody graceless with bloody crutches? Her balance is pretty damn good, usually! It’s the cast, she thinks. The extra weight is messing everything up.

“You’re making me look like a fool and I do not appreciate it.” She scowls at the cast. The only good thing about this bloody cast and the accident leading up to the broken ankle is that she got a chance to meet and give back the umbrella to the kind stranger who had helped her out. And that she might be getting another friend out of this, and she intends for him to be only a friend too, no matter how attractive he is and how much of a saint he is, but she can’t deny that she is drawing parallels with how her parents met. She’d asked Aziraphale once how his first few meetings with Crowley had gone when they met at university. Crowley had claimed to be the most suave bastard to have ever existed.

Aziraphale had told her that the redhead had been an absolute disaster, but he had been adorable so the blonde had fallen for the man anyways. Babylon is slowly coming to realize that no matter how composed she wants to be, she is just as much a disaster as her gay dad is. But she’s not out for a relationship with Bada, not after the last disaster. No, what she wants is friendship, and space to heal and get over it. Rushing into another relationship, if the man even wants one, can make things much worse.

And her leg is in a cast. It was an accident, but she’s chosen to look at the incident as a sign from the universe to calm down and step on the brakes. Take care of herself. When Bethany and Sara come home, she tells them she’s talked with Bada (Bethany grins) and that she’s going to attempt at starting a friendship with the man.

“And then-“

“I have a weapon.” Babylon cuts Bethany off, raising one of her crutches.

“Right.” The dark-haired woman backs off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now you all get to understand what happened in the first chapter

Babylon is sitting at the café close to campus, her final class for the day is finally over and she’s enjoying a good cup of tea as she waits for Bada to arrive. He said he was free today, and she’s taken him up on his offer to talk, and in a way, it can be an opportunity to get to know the friendly man a bit more. Sara will be joining them too as soon as her final classes are over, but Bethany’s already taken an early weekend, heading home to be with her parents. Babylon finds it a bit weird that the woman wasn’t jumping at the chance to join up with them, especially since she hasn’t said anything about leaving for the weekend, but the blonde hadn’t commented on it.

“Hey.” She looks up and sees Bada coming over, taking a seat on the opposite side of her. “How’s your ankle?” He asks as a conversation opener and she glances down under the table at the now very colourful plastic cast, covered in so many drawings and get-well wishes in so many different colours they’re starting to overlap. It’s starting to become rather excessive, really, but she also thinks it’s nice that so many wished her well. She won’t complain about the support she’s gotten.

“Stiff, but at least I can see my toes wiggle, so that’s a plus.” Babylon shrugs. She’d been warned about this by the doctor, but her regular check-ups are also proving to her that her ankle is healing very well, and that she might be able to take it off soon, which is a relief. Having walked around with it for three weeks is a bit of a hassle, but she’ll just have to grit her teeth because it’s staying on for a good while longer.

“Good to know. You’re probably stuck with it for over New Year’s, though.” Bada says as he drapes his jacket over the back of his seat, and orders himself a black coffee when a waitress comes along to take his order. Babylon nods. Indeed, she will be stuck with it for over New Years, which is next week, and she will miss out on strutting around in the most ridiculously tall high heels she and her dad always wear each New Years Eve, a tiny little tradition they’ve had since she got her first little princess shoes as a kid. It’s a whole lot of fun, but not exactly something she wants to do while her other foot is wrapped in a slightly heavy plastic cast. She’ll just have to leave the spotlight to her dad this year.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Bada asks as he warms his fingers against the steaming cup of coffee. Babylon hums, staring into her own teacup.

“I thought I could tell you the short version about why I was walking around London in the middle of the night when we met.” She says absentmindedly. “But I’d like to be somewhere private for that. It is a sensitive matter, really.” She hadn’t thought there would be so many people here so close to Christmas. Usually it is rather empty this time a day so close to the holidays.

“Do you want to talk about it at all? Should we relocate or do you want to talk about something else?” She doesn’t have much else to talk about as she had only planned to tell him about the reasoning for her wandering about aimlessly in the middle of the night, but he just got that cup of coffee, and he does appear to be a bit cold still, so she figures they can do some light talking, to learn about each other.

“We can go afterwards, if you’ve got time? You just got that cup after all, so why don’t we use this time to get a bit better acquainted with each other?” He nods. “What made you want to become a nurse?” She asks and he gives her a look.

“The awesome pay and work hours, obviously.”

“Oh haha.” Babylon rolls her eyes at his joke and he laughs.

“Nah, my mum was a nurse. She raised me on her own, and she was hero, and I wanted to grow up to be just like her. Still wanted to work in hospitals when it was time to choose a career, so here I am.”

“That’s nice.” Babylon says, not missing the use of the past tense, but choosing not to point it out.

“And I’ve been told I rock pink scrubs, so that’s a plus.”

“I was high on pain meds, Jesus Christ!” Babylon flushes a bright red as she remembers her night at the hospital. She had absolutely no filter that evening, it was not her fault she said all of that! Even so, it was also the truth, god damnit.

“So, what are you studying? You seemed to have some pretty damn heavy textbooks.”

“They could be heavier, trust me. I’m aiming to be a social worker, to help people who’ve been through a hard time and suffered trauma or abuse. I want to help kids and families.”

“That sounds like some real heavy stuff.” Bada comments and Babylon nods.

“It is. I’m aiming for my bachelor’s degree now, then I need to get a master’s, and a PhD in social work. Well, I don’t need it, but no one can say I’m not qualified if I do get them.” She explains.

“What made you want to do this?”

“Because my parents are my heroes.” She says, thinking back to that day when she had that outburst in the church. There are too many people like that lady in the world, and Babylon shudders to think what people like that would say or do to their children who don’t or can’t conform to what their parents think is the norm and the only correct way to be. Also, there are many who experience abuse every day. Babylon wants to be there for as many people as she can.

“I just want people to feel safe again, to feel like they’re in control when that has been taken away from them too many times.” They chat some more in the café, before Babylon glances down into her empty cup. This is nice, it really is.

“Do you still want to talk about that night?” Bada ventures and she nods, because she had offered to tell him if he was willing to listen, and she doesn’t feel like it will be such a bad thing.

“Yeah, we need to relocate. We can go to my place.” Sara hasn’t come yet, which is weird because Babylon is quite sure her class should have ended by now, but she texts the other woman and tells her that the two of them are relocating to the flat. Sara isn’t there when they arrive either. They sit down on the couch, well, Babylon lays down on it with her foot elevated while Bada sinks into Bethany’s rather huge armchair. Babylon enjoys the comfort for a tiny moment before she starts.

“So, you found me some hours after I broke up with my boyfriend at the time.” Bada winces in sympathy but she waves him off. “It wasn’t heartbreak I was hurt by.” She tells him.

“We’d had a rough time of it for a while, and I got to learn why that night. He’s a bloody homophobe, so he had a problem with my dad’s, being that they are two married men.” Bada frowns, tilting his head as he leans forward in the chair, elbows resting on his knees.

“How long were the two of you together?” Now this is the part that makes Babylon feel more than a bit embarrassed and stupid, because she never once noticed that John was a hateful bigot at all during their relationship, even as he came for the family nights and ate dinner with them. But her dads hadn’t noticed anything either, and that makes Babylon wonder if it was just because they were happy for her, or if John was just a very good pretender.

“Seven months.”

“And he told you all of that, that night?” He seems perplexed and Babylon shrugs, picking at her nails nervously.

“That’s not all he said.”

“What more, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m bi.” Bada seems more confused, raising a brow.

“Alright?” But she can see that he is slowly putting together the pieces of the puzzle as she just stares at him. “So, he had a problem with you too?”

“Oh yeah. He gave me two conditions for us to continue to be together, and he talked in a way as if he was so sure I would actually comply.” Babylon says, scowling as she recalls the night. “The first one was that I ‘disown’ my own parents and cut all contact with them, which is so fucking ridiculous I nearly punched him in the face right then and there, the second was that he was _‘_ willing to turn a blind eye to my failings’, as long as I gave him full disclosure of my whereabouts at all times, because I am more liable to cheat since I am bisexual and he just wanted to be sure where I was so he could ‘rest at ease’.” Bada looks like he’s suffering a stroke as he sputters. It is kind of amusing. Babylon haven’t told her dads this, she only told them that they broke up because he didn’t like that she is bisexual. She never told them of the conditions, because she was worried how much that would hurt them. Sara and Bethany know though, she had needed to tell someone the whole story.

“So many red flags!” The man finally snaps and Babylon sucks in her lower lip to stop herself from laughing. Because it isn’t funny, not at all. “I hope that was the moment you told him off?!”

“That was the point in which I told his sorry arse to go fuck a goat, yes.” Babylon says. She had said a whole lot more, really. Yelled a lot too. If she hadn’t been so angry at the time, the shocked expression on his face would have been very satisfying. 

“Fucking piece of shit-“ Bada starts before cutting himself off. Babylon blinks, not having expected the nurse to curse like that, though it’s nice to know he’s on her side of this. “Are you alright? It was seven months.”

No, Babylon doesn’t think she’s properly alright. As Bada said, it was a seven months long relationship, and she did get together with John because she liked him. And she thought he was good for her for so many months. The revelation that he is a homophobic bigot had come as a shock, he’d been so polite and kind to her dads. To learn that he thought of them as freaks, that _she_ was a freak, that she had let this kind of shitty person into her life and had potentially put her dads’ up for several unpleasant evenings… No, she is not alright, but she is also a lot like how Crowley used to be when he was young. Not good at talking about her emotions and excellent at deflecting. So she gestures for her ankle.

“My ankle is broken.” She sasses.

“That’s not what I meant.” She knows it’s not, but she’s doing a classic Crowley-Fell tactic right now when she feels so raw and vulnerable and wants to protect herself.

Deflect, deflect, deflect


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's turn back time some

“What do you think about kids?” Aziraphale blinks, realizing he had nearly fallen asleep, though that had of course been what he had intended when he got into bed, letting Crowley curl up against him. They have an early morning, after all, but the question is spoken in such a soft, hesitant voice that he can’t just ignore it. Crowley only sounds like that when he is opening up about something important. So Aziraphale breathes in deep before exhaling.

“What was that, my dear?” He asks, threading his fingers through copper strands in a soothing and gentle gesture, something to show that he is listening to Crowley and is encouraging him to tell Aziraphale what is on his mind. Crowley is terrible at asking for things for his own benefit, and even worse at talking about his wants and needs, but Aziraphale is getting rather adept at coaxing the man into telling him.

“What do you think about kids?” Crowley repeat sand Aziraphale shrugs, careful not to jostle his partner too much. Children, he’s never spared them much thought, though he had not given relationships much thought either. Not before this gorgeous redhead had literally nearly managed to trip over his own feet and nearly pulling a whole bookshelf down with him trying to impress the blonde.

“I’ve never thought about them much, darling. Have you?” The way Crowley goes absolutely still at his side is an answer in itself. They haven’t been in a relationship for long, only four months, but Aziraphale has come to realize that if he ignores the coloured lenses Crowley often wears to hide his sensitive eyes, the redhead is actually quite easy to read. His body-language is remarkably straight-forward.

“Will you tell me what you’ve imagined, Anthony?” Aziraphale asks, because if his boyfriend is voicing this question in such a vulnerable way right now, here in the dark of Azirpahale’s dorm room, then it’s important to him and it deserves some proper attention. Crowley doesn’t respond at first, he just lies very still and after a few minutes Aziraphale wonders if the redhead has fallen asleep.

“I want a family one day. A partner and a kid.” Crowley finally says very quietly, sounding almost embarrassed to admit to such a thing. To Aziraphale, it sounds like a very pleasant dream for a future. A partner and a child… Aziraphale has never thought about children, as previously stated, but had once upon a time thought about marrying the love of his life. While growing up he had started to let go of that dream, even the thought of relationships. How lucky he is to have been found by Crowley. Now he has a nice and good relationship, one he hopes will last forever.

Adding another life into the mix…

“Tell me more. What more did you think of?” Aziraphale urges Crowley on, the hand connected to the arm wrapped around Crowley squeezing his shoulder in comfort. So Crowley paints him a pretty picture, of a house or a very big flat, filled with plants and several over stacked bookshelves, of the smell of freshly baked pastries, of a child’s bubbly laughter and the pitter-patter of small bare feet padding across the floor. It’s such an enticing thought, and Aziraphale can imagine it vividly too.

“It sounds lovely, dearest.” The blonde says, voice soft, but Crowley has already begun to fall back into old habits, apologizing for sharing something that he has heard most of his life is a ridiculous thought, a useless dream, unachievable and constricting.

“I’m sorry.” He says, beginning to pull away, to turn around. “You haven’t thought of it before, I shouldn’t have brought it up, it’s too much, right?” Aziraphale will hear nothing of it, and tightens his grip on Crowley to make sure he can’t turn away thinking Aziraphale is annoyed with him.

“I haven’t thought about children before, no.” He starts. “But I am now.” How can he not, when presented to him so vividly, so lovely a painting it all makes? He hasn’t given any such thought to his future, but he’d love to discuss it with Crowley, to make up any scenario they want together, and he tells Crowley so, and the redhead hums, settling against Aziraphale and nuzzling into his throat.

“I want a little girl.” He adds. “A little girl I can dote on and spoil.”

“Don’t spoil her absolutely rotten, love, just a smidge, if you’d please.” Aziraphale says and Crowley grins.

“That’s why I need a partner, to balance me out.”

“Are you saying I would be the strict parent?” They’ve gone from envisioning such a future to put their expectations on it, but neither cares anymore. Aziraphale giggles, knowing full well that he will most likely be the strict parent.

“Tell me more.” He says. Crowley turns his head for a moment before turning back towards Aziraphale.

“We have to get up in five hours.”

“Tell me more.” Aziraphale doesn’t care about the early morning classes, or the sleep he’ll need to be able to stay awake through them. He just wants to talk more about this little future.

* * *

****

Aziraphale comes home to find all their photo albums scattered all over the floor, Crowley along with them, lying flat on his stomach, one arm propping him slightly up, the other turning the pages. His glasses are nowhere to be seen, which is just as much proof as the scattered albums that he has been home for quite some time already. The redhead seems to be off in his own little world, so the blonde heads to the kitchen to fix himself some snacks and a cup of tea. When he comes back to the living room Crowley finally looks up.

“When did she become an adult?” He says miserably, and Aziraphale looks over the album in front of the redhead, filled with baby pictures of Babylon. Ah yes, those were good times, he misses those days too.

“Around the same time we grew old, I believe.” Crowley narrows his eyes and sits up, watching as the blonde takes a seat on their couch, crossing his arms with a pout.

“Are you calling me old? Really?”

“Well, we’re not _old_ , per se, but we’re not spring chickens in university anymore.” Aziraphale shrugs and Crowley’s pout turns into a scowl as he brings the album back into his lap. The scowl melts away, and wistfulness takes over as the man traces the images with his fingers, the memories they’ve made together through the years. Sometimes Aziraphale wonders if this life they live is everything Crowley wanted. He’s never asked, not that he’s been afraid to, but because he’s never needed to, never thought the thought would ever occur. But now he has to ask.

“Are you satisfied?” Aziraphale asks and Crowley looks up.

“Hm?”

“This life we’ve lived together, with Babylon, is it all you thought it would be?” A small smile graces Crowley’s face as he nods, looking back down into the albums. He is more than happy with this life they’ve lived, are still living. To find the love of his life as early as in the middle of university, to be able to marry that man, and adopt a kid and raise her to be the best kind of person she could ever hope to be… yes, it is all he wanted it to be and so much more.

“What about you, angel? Is it everything you wanted?” And there is that nervousness that Aziraphale hasn’t heard for almost two decades, that nervousness and vulnerability that he heard when Crowley first breached the subject of a family in Aziraphale’s dorm room.

“It has been even better. Now, how about you clean up your mess, and I’ll go find us a bottle of wine, and then we can watch some recordings of Babylon’s dance recitals, hm?”

“It’s not even dinnertime yet, angel.” Crowley raises a brow.

“I’ve got nowhere else to be today, dearest. Now, come on, chop chop.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of violations against a persons privacy, harassment, insult to person and outing someone against their will

She’s finally got that awful cast off, and Aziraphale is the one helping her get onto the bus on the way back to their respective flats. The bookshop is closed for the day, but Crowley is in his own shop, teaching a new worker how things are to be done. He’ll come by later on, or so he had promised. Bethany will be at the apartment when they return, and she’s already made ready a bucket of water, a towel and pillows in the living room. Aziraphale had called ahead to have Bethany make sure everything was ready after they had received all the information they needed from the hospital about how to treat her ankle now that the cast is off.

Wash the leg often and lightly massage the area, and use a lot of moisturising lotion to get the skin to return to it’s normal state. After all, having been stuck in a cast for a little over six weeks has left her skin dry and itchy. But there’s no discomfort left in her ankle when walking on it, though she is still putting most of her weight on her other leg. So, after having rolled up her pant leg, removing her socks and letting Aziraphale start massaging her ankle, she pulls out her phone and shoots off a text.

* * *

Now, Bada isn’t one to be overbearing, and he certainly isn’t the clingy and hopeful type, but he can’t deny that when he receives text messages from Babylon, his mood and expression both light up.

_I am free, my leg no longer weighted down by any shackles of supposedly healing nature. Let’s celebrate with the shittiest coffee and pastries to have ever had the misfortune to be devoured by us._

He chuckles at her overly dramatic text, and sends his own.

_On my way to work right now, does tomorrow work for you?_

_Ach, fine. I guess I will have to._ She responds. He rolls his eyes.

_Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness._ Alright, perhaps he went a bit overboard with that one, but this is a lot of fun.

_Peasant._ She returns and Bada laughs again. Babylon is childish by nature, he has learned, despite how hard she tries to keep up a mature front. But Bada likes that childishness better. It appeals more, to see a person with enough confidence to be whoever they want to be no matter their age. To be true to oneself. Yes, Babylon tries to keep up a mature front, but when she doesn’t have to, she becomes childish, never caring what others think of her. She has a friendly spirit and light bringing personality, or at least that is what Bada’s mother would have said, had she been alive to meet Babylon. He likes that quality, looks forward to see her the next day, he thinks as he walks into his designated ward for his shift. The very first thing that happens is that someone throws up all over his shoes, and while it’s not the first time that has happened to him, he still finds himself longing for that clean environment in which he won’t wade back to the changing rooms in soggy shoes.

* * *

When Babylon enters the café the next day, a whole fifteen minutes before the agreed time, she receives a ring from her aunt, asking if she won’t mind meeting for a few minutes while the lady is in town.

“I didn’t even know you were in London!” Babylon exclaims. “I’m at the café by campus, my usual haunt.” She tells the woman who muses over the phone that she isn’t all that far off, and that she will be there in a few minutes. And so the call ends and Babylon orders herself a tea. She notices immediately when her aunt enters the face. Michael Fell has this presence that demands your full attention, and her appearance is, as usual, immaculate, straight-backed in her dark-blue suit and stern expression.

“Aunty!” Babylon waves, gaining her aunts attention and a very slight smile tugs at the woman’s lips. The blonde scoots further into the booth so the older woman can sit beside her.

“What are you doing in London?” Babylon asks, curious. Michael only ever comes around during birthdays, if she has the time to, which is more often not.

“I had a few meetings here. One was cancelled, so I decided to see if you had some free time. I’m thinking of calling Aziraphale and invite you all for dinner tonight. Do you think he’ll like that?” She asks as if it is unthinkable that Aziraphale will ever accept an invitation to dine out in fine places.

“I think he’d love to see you.” Babylon answer honestly. They rarely see her or Gabriel. To be invited out to dinner as she is visiting would cause Aziraphale great joy.

“So, what are you doing here all by your lonesome?” Michael asks as she flags a waitress down to order herself a beverage. Babylon explains that she is here to meet a friend, to finally be outside without the bloody cast that has been on her ankle for the last six weeks, for which Babylon is more than happy she is rid off.

“Friend, is it?” Michael gives her a knowing look and Babylon looks down into her own cup.

“Yes, friend. Right now, that’s all I can have. Right now… did daddy tell you about what happened between me and John?” Babylon asks, though she already knows the answer if she knows her blonde father right.

“Only that the two of you ended things on a rather sour note.” Michael shrugs and Babylon snorts. Sour note, indeed. That is a rather positive way to look at it, she thinks, before she gives Michael the short version of how that night ended up, and how the friend she is meeting right now is the one who got her home safe.

“ _No_!” Michael hisses, and Babylon nods. “That’s what he said to me. So I told him to go fuck a goat.” A snort escapes Michael this time, but she still looks absolutely furious.

“That’s why, right now, I just want to be me. No one’s girlfriend or partner. Just… Me. Does that make any sense to you?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. You deserve better than that, and I am proud of you for telling him off.” Michael says resolutely and Babylon nods.

“Thank you. Bada said the same. He’s been a great help. Everyone always say the same thing, things like ‘I’m sorry that happened to you’, or ‘you’ll find someone else, not everyone is like that’, the same standard thing they always say because they think that makes people feel better, but it doesn’t make me feel better. I don’t want that, I don’t plan on being ‘forever alone’, but I… I want to be just me, right now. Take care of myself.”

“Good for you.” Michael agrees. “Prioritize your own well-being now, and put yourself out there when you feel like it, and not a second before, and if you meet another shitbag-“ Babylon chokes on her tea, as she’s never heard her aunt use such language before, “you tell him or her to fuck off too.”

“Please-“ Babylon gasps through her laughter, “don’t use that kind of language tonight. Daddy will have a heart attack.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Michael says dismissively, just as footsteps approach their table.

“Am I interrupting?” Bada asks, but Babylon shakes her head and gestures for the man to take a seat opposite of them, and introduces the two to each other. The three of them talk, or rather, Babylon and Bada talk like normal human beings, Michael is interrogating and Bada is answering to the best of his abilities. His salvation comes in the form of her phone ringing, and she leaves the table for some privacy, letting Babylon shoot the man an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, she’s very protective of me. That’s what I get for being her only niece.”

“She’s terrifying, I admit.” Bada chuckles nervously, and Babylon huffs out a laugh at the flight or fight body language he’s giving off.

“Well, she’s a prosecutor, and the family lawyer. She kind of has to be terrifying. I don’t see her much, so I’m she rang me and wanted to meet while she’s in town. You don’t mind, do you? She probably won’t stay around for much longer, she has a list of meetings today.”

“Of course not, I’ll manage, don’t worry about me.” Bada says. He hardly has monopoly on her attention, and if a relative Babylon barely sees passes by, who is Bada to stop that? Babylon stares at him for a few moments, incredulous. She doesn’t mean to do it, but she’s drawing a lot of parallels between Bada and John. Bada takes it all in stride, but Babylon knows John would have made a great deal of fuss around it. Then again, she and Bada doesn’t have a relationship, so perhaps the comparison isn’t the best. Babylon won’t deny that she finds Bada very attractive, and kind and every other positive thing she can think of, but she’s also very sure that she’s not ready for a relationship. Not yet, so she stuffs any traitorous thought away. Bada is amazing, and any girl is lucky to have him.

“You’re a great guy, you know that?” And there’s a slight flush to his tanned skin and it is utterly adorable.

“Why, thank you.” Babylon grins, knowing that whenever she is ready for anything romantic with anyone, she wants, needs and deserves a person who is as considerate and caring as Bada is, and avoid people like John.

“Well, look what I see. I was right about you, wasn’t I?” Babylon feels her stomach drop at the sound of that voice. She doesn’t want to look up and look at the man standing by her now. She’s managed to go for so long without seeing him, without even catching a glimpse of him, since the breakup, but now when she’s enjoying a nice day out, seeing her aunt and enjoying freedom from her cast he finds her? And when she is sitting with Bada too. But she can’t find it in herself to ignore the man either, so she looks up and sees John, who has the nastiest scowl on his face.

“I knew you were a two-timing bitch.” Babylon clutches her teacup tightly in her hand in an effort to stop her hands from shaking too terribly. She doesn’t know why she can’t find it in herself to tell John to go to hell, she had no problem with doing it the night they broke up once she got over the initial shock of realizing what kind of person he is. She does manage to press this out though.

“You and I broke up months ago. This is none of your business.” Her voice is quiet and brittle, and Bada blinks, looking back between the two of them, and Babylon looks down, avoiding any eye-contact.

“Yeah, as if I can trust that you were faithful when we were together.” John scoffs before turning to Bada, and his voice pitches louder than necessary, as if he wants everyone in the shop to hear him. “You better be careful around her, she’s prone to cheating since she’s bisexual. She goes after everything and everyone.” Babylon never has, she has never done something like that, and she is absolutely humiliated that John just outed her sexuality like that, he had no right! But she can’t, she just can’t find the will to tell him off, she feels like she is frozen in place, and she can barely hear any of what they’re saying as her blood roars in her ears.

“That was uncalled for.” Bada says, slowly standing up. “You had no right to yell out her sexuality like that, nor offending her as a person in such a way.”

“I’m just saying it as it is, mate.” John shrugs. “It’ll save you a whole lot of trouble when dating her.”

“It’s a violation of her privacy, and I am not dating her. She is a patient from the hospital I work at. It’s my job to ensure that she has properly healed from her injury.” Bada towers over John, and the man almost takes a step back, before he decides to ignore Bada and continue to harass Babylon instead.

“I’ve got photos of you.” Babylon looks up, confused. They were together for seven months, of course he has photos of her, she had of him too. She’s just deleted all she had of him, but it’s the way he says it that makes the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

“I’m thinking about sharing them with every guy on campus.” John says.

“What are you talking about?” She asks tiredly, and John’s smile could make curdle milk.

“Nudes.” And that gets a reaction out of Babylon.

_“I didn’t give you permission to take such photos of me at any point in our relationship!”_ She yells, eyes wide and terrified. If John truly has any such photos of her, she won’t put it past him to share them around campus. It’s not as if such things don’t happen, she’s heard of it before, and she doesn’t believe herself to be any luckier than any other victim of such a horrible stunt. And if that happens she won’t be able to show her face in class anymore.

“We were together.” John said with a shrug, as if he was entitled to having such photos of her without her consent. “You were sleeping, didn’t say no.”

“I never consented to that!” And that’s a horrifying thing. That at no point had she been safe while she slept over at his, or him at hers. Never once, apparently, had her privacy been on his mind. If he’s taken photos of her while she was sleeping, what more could he have done? And she slumps in her chair, all fight leaving her as her mind swirls with fear, questions and the overwhelming feeling of knowing that her comfort and privacy is practically non-existent at this point. Now, everyone who knows Babylon really well knows that she won’t take this kind of abuse just lying down, not normally. That’s why it’s so worrying to Michael who had been coming back and hearing the young man yell out her niece’s sexuality for everyone to hear, and come with even more horrifying news and just see Babylon slump in her chair, appearing a mix of scared and sad and lost.

And she won’t stand for it.

“Delete them, now!” Bada snaps. “That is a serious violation, it’s a bloody crime!”

“She was my girlfriend at the time! I had every right!” John snaps back, only to jerk around when Michael snatches the phone out of his hands and scrolls through his gallery.

“Hey! Who the fuck are you?”

“Babylon Crowley-Fell’s lawyer.” Michael replies curtly and John stops short.

“You’re what?”

“I’m her lawyer.” Michael repeats before her eyes narrow at the phone screen and she whips her own phone out of her pocket and dials a number. “Sit down.”

“Who are you calling?”

“The police. Sit down.”

“Give me my phone!” John reaches out to snatch his phone back, but Bada grabs him by the shoulder, yanks him back and shoves him into his former seat and holds him there. If Babylon was at all watching or paying even an iota of attention she would have found it amazing how easily Bada held John in place, but right now she’s lost in her own dark thoughts. She’s scared, so scared that everyone will see indecent photos of her that she in no way, shape or form consented to have taken of her. Michael notices, and looks around.

“Was there someone who heard what this man said about Ms. Babylon here?” It’s a rhetorical question, everyone in the shop heard what had been said between the three of them. What Michael wants is witnesses. She wants to get this over and done with quickly. The evidence is on the phone, as much as Michael had hoped John had been lying just to get a rise out of Babylon, and the man admitted it rather loudly that he had taken them when she was asleep as he threatened to share them. And if that isn’t enough, she can still get him charged for violating a person’s privacy.

“I did.” A brunette dressed in heavy skirts raises her hand as she turns around in her seat. “Both me and my boyfriend did. We’ll testify on your client’s behalf.” Several more raise their hands, and it’s when the police come through the doors that John starts growing rather pale, as he realizes what is happening.

He is very much in trouble, and as Michael gives the police a very detailed description of what had happened, gives them the evidence and tells them of the photos, and the witnesses gives the police their names and numbers so they can be contacted should the police need them. Babylon is still so quiet and catatonic in her seat, and Bada is quite worried. He’s never seen her like this. Granted, he hasn’t known her for long, but he reckons he knows how she works in different kind of situations. This reaction, it’s not good.

“Mr. Hathaway.” Bada blinks, turning towards Michael. “I have to follow the police to the station, would you mind bringing Babylon home, if you know where it is?”

“Her parents flat, or her own?” Bada answers automatically and the corner of the woman’s mouth tugs slightly upwards.

“Her parents, if you wouldn’t mind. Also, perhaps you could explain the situation to them?” As it stands, it doesn’t seem like Babylon will be able to make any explanation of her own right now, so Bada nods and carefully shakes Babylon’s shoulder. She barely reacts.

“Come now. I’ll drive you home.” She nods, though her expression is blank. The drive back is rather quiet, which disconcerts him even more, and when he knocks on the door to her parent’s flat, and is met with a smiling elderly blonde who quickly grows worried at the sight that meets him, Bada feels slightly less anxious when he hands her over.

“Oh my dear, what has happened?” Babylon doesn’t answer, so he looks to Bada and gestures for the man to enter, repeating his question.

“We were at the coffee shop by her university, and her ex-partner showed up.”

“He what? What did he do?” The blonde asks just as a redhead comes out, wondering what is going on.

“Come inside, tell us what happened.” The blonde says, and introduces himself as Aziraphale, and the redhead as his husband Crowley. Crowley takes Babylon in his arms and leads her inside and sits with her on the couch, letting her lean against him as Bada stands in the middle between the open kitchen and living room flat, watching Aziraphale prepare some tea while stealing small glances at Babylon.

“Her ex-partner showed up, and in simple words, he was very nasty. He outed her as, well, he outed her sexuality in the shop-“ Crowley looks up, appearing rather enraged at hearing that and Aziraphale appears both scandalized and furious as he turns around with two full cups of tea. He hands one to Bada, and the other he puts down before Babylon. She doesn’t even look at him.

“What a vile man.” The blonde mutters.

“Then he kept on saying that she was a cheating, well, that because of her sexuality, she is naturally a cheater-“ Bada feels very uncomfortable as he hears Crowley swear quietly. This is a very delicate situation, and he feels like he is intruding, even though he agreed to explain what had happened.

“Why do I have the feeling that you’re just working yourself up to something absolutely horrendous?” Aziraphale asks and Bada swallows.

“He had photos of Babylon. Indecent photos he had taken without her consent or knowledge, and he threatened to share them with every guy at her university.”

“ _He bloody what?_ ” Crowley snarls as Aziraphale pales. Babylon whimpers.

“But her aunt, er, Michael, was there, and she called the police and took his phone as evidence and asked me to bring her home.”

“Michael? Michael was there?” Aziraphale blinks, surprised. But he is also happy. That Michael had been there means that Babylon had been safe, not that he didn’t trust this very capable looking young man who had been kind enough to bring their daughter home, but Michael is a very efficient person. This matter will all be resolved rather quickly then, and they will hear no more on it.

“Aunty Michael wanted…” Babylon finally speaks, heaving a trembling breath as Crowley cards his hand through her hair gently. “She wanted to invite us out tonight. But I don’t want to go out now, can we… can we invite her here instead?”

“Course we can, pumpkin.” Crowley says quietly. “I’m sure she’ll want to come see you as soon as possible.” Babylon nods, and hugs her dad tight, tiny little sobs escaping her as she finally breaks down. Bada isn’t sure what to do right then, so he finishes his tea and excuses himself. Aziraphale follows him to the door, and once the younger man has pulled on his shoes and is on his way out, Aziraphale smiles gratefully at him.

“Thank you for bringing her here, dear boy.”

“Of course. Anytime.” He replies lamely as he heads down the hall to the elevator. Bada has never seen Babylon like this, and quite frankly, it had been unnerving.

He wishes he had broken the bastard’s jaw before he had managed to say any of those words to her.


	7. Chapter 7

It takes a long time before Bada hears anything from Babylon after that day. A little over two weeks, in fact. He encounters her friends, Bethany and Sara, while out grocery shopping one day, and learns that one her dad’s, Crowley, had come by the flat and packed a bag of her clothes, her books and notes, and had told them that Babylon would stay at her parent’s flat for a little while. He had also assured them that Babylon would be fine, just that it would take a little time.

Sara and Bethany experiences a lot of attention while this was going on, as a rumour had spread rather quickly around campus, because a few of the customers at the shop that day are students at the same university that Babylon attends. What is surprising is that the rumour is rather on point with what had happened at the café. Rumours have a tendency to become rather twisted and lose credibility, to turn the real victims into the ones in the wrong, but apparently the people who had spread it, who had been there too, had been rather adamant about what they had seen, and had not allowed other versions to get much traction, shutting down any rumour that would counter the truth. Four days after the incident the university has made it public that the school does not condone such behaviour from its student population, and that the student who had made the threats to share private and intrusive photos would be expelled. They also encourage students who may have experienced something like this or other kinds of harassment to come forth as well.

And so, those that know that Sara and Bethany are friends with Babylon, swamp them with questions about the blonde. This is what happened to Babylon’s friends. What happened with Babylon herself after Bada left that evening is this.

Babylon, Crowley and Aziraphale have ended up in a cuddle pile on the couch, something Babylon can’t remember having happened since she was a little girl. There they stay together until Michael rings Aziraphale a few hours later, and Crowley goes on to prepare a nice dinner for the woman’s arrival. Aziraphale stays on the couch with Babylon, holding her close and the young woman is happy he does. She still feels frightfully fragile, and she’s not used to that. When Michael arrives, she gently squeezes the younger woman’s shoulders and tells her that everything is taken care of and she doesn’t need to think of it anymore. She also has some news for all of them, which will hopefully take their minds off of the horrible thing that happened today. Once they are all at the table, she tells them.

“I’m moving to London.” Michael says. Aziraphale claps his hands together and wiggles happily in his seat. Crowley manages a small smile, but Babylon just nods.

“Oh really?” Aziraphale asks excitedly, food momentarily forgotten.

“Yes. I’ve partnered with a firm here, and todays meetings were about finalizing the papers and get the formalities over and done with.” Michael explains to them, before she compliments Crowley on the food.

“Do you have a place to live yet?” Babylon’s quiet voice breaks through and the older woman shakes her head.

“Would you mind going with me? I have a few flats I want to look at.” Babylon nods. She doesn’t feel at all well right now, but maybe she will in a few days? Either way, she knows that this is Michael making an effort to overwrite the unpleasantness that was today, and she appreciates it. So a few days later she finds herself sitting in her aunts fancy car and speeding through London, moving from one flat to another. Michael always finds something wrong with every one of them, no matter how small a detail, and in the end, Babylon is left snickering at the absolute ridiculousness of the supposed faults Michael finds.

“Four millimetres to the left? The stove? Does it even matter, you don’t even cook. _Four millimetres._ ”

“It’s the aesthetic, Babylon.” The older woman insists and Babylon shakes her head exasperatedly.

“Either you pick one, or I do, and I very much want to pick that one flat with absolutely garish pink walls.” Michael gasps dramatically, much in a way Aziraphale would do to entertain Babylon when she was much younger, before pointing at her.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me, aunty.” In the end (after a lot of back and forth and bickering), Michael ends up picking the one with the misplaced stove, though she warns that now that she lives in London, she will show up when Babylon least expect it and complain about the four millimetres. Babylon accepts the dangers. It’s when they’re alone in the car again that Babylon confess that she doesn’t want to go back to university.

“You’ve started writing your bachelor-article, right? You don’t have many lectures left, mostly research, isn’t that so?”

“I still have to go to the library to study. I can run into him there, and I don’t… I really don’t think it’s good for me to even just catch a glimpse of him right now.” Babylon shrugs, trying and failing to hide how scared she is of such an encounter, and Michael frowns.

“You don’t know? Didn’t you read the online articles?”

“Know what?”

“He’s been expelled from the university for his behaviour. If there is one place you won’t see that trash bag it’s on campus.”

“Oh.” Babylon says. That does change some things, but the blonde still feels like a heavy weight hangs over her shoulders. She wonders why she had just let John trample all over back at the café. She never would have before, right? Why had she been so distressed when John had seen her with Bada at the café? She wasn’t like this when they were together, and they are not in a relationship now. She’s allowed to hang out with friends if she wants to. It wasn’t his business before, it certainly isn’t now. And she doesn’t understand why she’s feeling sad and lost and scared, and not as furious as a mad bull charging. Because that’s more like her. She doesn’t take this kind of bullshit laying down. But she did that time, and that scares and confuses her even more.

“Hey.” Babylon blinks, looking up at her aunt. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, everything is going to be okay. It’s going to take some time, it could be a long time or it can be a short time, who knows, but it’ll be fine. You have Aziraphale and Crowley, those flatmates of yours, and that hot young nurse-“

“Please don’t ever refer to Bada as ‘ _that hot young nurse_ ’ again.” Babylon deadpans. “It’ll go straight to his head.” Michael chuckles.

“Alright. But you understand what I mean.”

“I do. I have you and uncle Gabriel too, but I don’t think he should know the gritty details.” Babylon shudders at the thought.

“And miss the chance of having a civil war start in the middle of London for your honour? Come now, I know they raised you better than to voluntarily miss such opportunities.”

“Considering how you’re now as adults, how did the UK survive you as children? You are absolutely horrible.” Babylon sasses right back.

Once two weeks have passed, and Babylon finds herself alone in her parents flat and halfway trapped in two giant coils of snake, Babylon texts her friends.

_I’m alright. Sorry I’ve been so quiet, it’s just been very hard. I’ll come back soon. I’m sorry if I’ve worried you, I just needed some time for myself to get my thoughts straight again._

She sends the text, and immediately she receives a whole lot of _‘thinking of you’, ‘looking forward to seeing you again’_ and _‘you take all the time you need’._ Bethany and Sara writes that they’re looking forward to having her home, and that good food, movies and cuddle sessions are inbound the moment she’s in through the door. Babylon smiles. Bada, however, doesn’t answer at first. Nearly an hour passes by before he answers her text. Her breath catches in her throat.

_Can I come over?_

* * *

Two days later Babylon finally walks through the doors to their shared apartment. The other two have made good on their promise, she thinks, as she looks through the cabinets and fridge. Enough food and salty and sugary delights to feed a small army. Tonight is going to be nice. Normal. As it should be. When Sara and Bethany returns from school, there are tights hugs and several _‘I missed you’s’_ before they relocate to the kitchen and begin preparing their dinner. This. Babylon has missed this. This normalcy with her friends in her own apartment that she shares with them. Her parents have been amazing, Babylon will never say they weren’t, but she’s also an adult woman now. Seeking comfort from her dads’ is all well and good, but she can’t hide at their place forever. She has a bachelor to write, theories to study, a degree to earn, a life to live.

A broken self-confidence to build back up.

Food is enjoyed alongside the movie _“The Legend of Zorro”_. Watching a handsome, masked, mysterious man take down a self-righteous criminal for revenge never grows too dull. Now, Babylon never intended to tell her flatmates what happened between her and Bada the day he came over. She never intended to tell them he asked to come over when she had told them she was feeling better.

But it comes out anyway.

“Bada said he is romantically interested in me.” Sara pauses her fork just in front of her mouth and Bethany stares. They wait for more and Babylon exhales.

“And I said I can’t…” And she tells them why, why she rejected the man, the same thing she had told Michael at the cafe. Bada had not come with any expectations. He’d simply wanted to tell her, despite the terrible timing. And she admits that she does indeed like Bada as well, but…

“I just can’t, right now. I just, I know he’s not like John, but my _brain_ is just, I don’t think it would do us any good before I’ve sorted out this mess my head is right now. He said he’d wait, and I pointed out that he wouldn’t be able to wait forever. Bada said he wouldn’t wait forever either, not if he finds someone, but he said he wouldn’t be looking for anyone either. In a way he says it’s okay for me to take the time I need, and that’s just amazing, innit? How many others would understand? _I_ don’t understand.”

“Oh sweetie.” Bethany says as she lifts herself out of her comfy chair and moves onto the couch. Only then does Babylon realize she’s crying. “Maybe it’ll take longer than he’s willing to wait, but it may also not. You’ve been hurt, it’s normal to be apprehensive, there’s nothing wrong with that, there’s nothing wrong or stupid about wanting to heal and feel like yourself again after something like this. He’ll still be your friend, yes? Even if you don’t get together?” Babylon nods. Bada had said so, and Bada isn’t much of a liar.

“Just let yourself heal.” Sara agrees, moving to sit on the other side of Babylon. “And if John shows up, we’ll beat the shite out of ‘im.”

“Your accent is coming out.” Babylon sniffs.

“Aye, Ah’ll let it.” The blonde breaks down. She’s lost count for how many times she’s done that after that day at the café, but this time she can admit that she does feel better afterwards.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for slurs and a slight bit of satisfying violence

Two months have passed since John made a right fool of both her and himself in the café, and now Babylon finds herself stuck in her flat working on her final article. She’s been alone here for a week now and she feels like she’s stuck. Sara has lost a family member, so she’s gone for a funeral and will stay with her family a little while after as well. Bethany is with a potential boyfriend. Gideon seems like a nice bloke, Babylon hopes it works out for them. Babylon throws herself back in her seat with a loud sigh. She’s been reading the same sentence over and over again for who knows how long without actually taking in what it is she is reading. Looking away from the textbooks to take a break seems to only toss her into thinking about what has happened lately.

Such as what happened at her parents flat when Bada came over.

* * *

_Babylon doesn’t know why she’s so nervous when she unlocks the door for Bada to enter. The man doesn’t say much, only gives her a small smile, as if to say that he’s happy to see her doing better, but no words of confirmation on the matter. She leads him into the living room and asks if he wants anything to drink, water, juice, tea or coffee. He agrees to a cup of tea. Babylon likes Bada, he’s a calming presence in the vortex of shit that her life has been lately, but right now she can’t for the life of her stop the shaking of her hands as she prepares the tea in the ancient kettle her daddy will never give up. He must have heard her, because before she drops the cups to the floor, he is suddenly there, taking them from her._

_“I’ll do it.”_

_“No, I can, you’re a guest, go sit down.” She says, though there’s little fight in her voice. Thankfully he listens and pulls back. Her hands are still shaking, but the tremble is more subtle now and she manages to fill two cups and walk them to the table without spilling any on herself. He thanks her with another small smile, and they sit in a comfortable silence for a while. Well, it is comfortable, but Babylon is a ball of anxiety and she doesn’t understand why. It’s just Bada. Kind, caring and charismatic Bada._

_“What is it you want to talk about?” She just assumes he wants to talk, but she can’t think of any other reason he’d want to come over. Sure, he’d probably like to see how she’s doing, but they can do that other places, can’t they? Like outside at a café- oh, no, no that doesn’t sound good right now. Perhaps it’s better he came here, she thinks and lowers her shoulders._

_“I was contemplating about not talking at all, actually.” Bada say and she rolls her eyes._

_“If you’re worried about me and the mess I am, don’t. Get it out, mate.” She says and he stares at her for a long moment, to the point she nearly starts shaking again. He grabs her teacup and puts it down on the table before she has an accident, and she feels utterly useless. Can’t even drink a cup of bloody tea by herself without aid from a nurse._

_“The timing is terrible, really. I thought about telling you at the café, but…”_

_“But shit went to hell.” Babylon mutters. “What is it?” He seems to consider it, before he puts down his own cup and turns to face her fully._

_“I’m sorry to say this.” He begins, and she stills. There are so many things he can say after that starter, for example: Sorry, don’t want to be your friend anymore, sorry you’re just way too much trouble, sorry your ex-boyfriend just kind of put me off wanting to be anywhere near you._

_“But I like you.” She blinks, once, twice, thrice. What? That is not what she had expected him to say. Who says they’re sorry before confessing like that? Babylon takes a deep breath. There are many ways she can respond to this. She can admit to liking him too, but like she had told Michael two weeks earlier, she doesn’t think she’s in any way, shape or form ready to go into another relationship. But Bada is so kind and compassionate and understanding, he’d be good for her, right? But that’s selfish of her, putting that kind of burden on him. He doesn’t deserve the handed that kind of responsibility._

_“You’re right, it’s horrible timing.” She says, licking her lips. “Sorry to say, I like you too.” He chuckles at that, but says nothing more, waiting for her, and she feels absolutely horrible for what she’s about to say next. She opens her mouth, closes it, then tries again before grinding her teeth._

_“I didn’t come here expecting anything, Babylon.” Bada says, and bloody hell, can he stop being so fucking perfect in every which way? And when did Babylon think that being a decent human being is being perfect?_

_“Good to know, because… Because I just can’t, Bada. Not now.” And he nods in understanding before she says anything more._

_“John’s actions, they’ve, my head is all fucked up, and I don’t even feel like myself anymore. And the trust I can have in another person, while being so vulnerable, it’s pretty much beaten down and I-I, I just can’t.” She admits quietly at the end._

_“I know you’re not like that, I_ know _that, but it just… the thought just won’t leave me alone. I’m so sorry.”_

“ _I understand.” Bada says. “I truly do. What happened was awful, so I understand. That’s why I said the timing was terrible. But I am willing to wait, if you want me to. I’ll wait until you feel safe, secure and yourself again.” And there he goes, being the absolute symbol of a perfect man. Babylon both hates and loves it. Fuck him, fuck everyone, fuck everything. Fuck her. She starts crying again. Fuck crying, too._

_“You can’t wait forever.” She sniffles, sight blurring as she tries in vain to brush the tears away._

_“I won’t.” Bada says solemnly. “I won’t wait forever. But I’m not interested in any other, and I’m not going to actively look either, but if it does come to it, that I find someone else, and that is a big if, then I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you so you don’t go around thinking about it. And I don’t want you stressing about it now either. Just focus on yourself.”_

* * *

And here she is, wasting valuable minutes on thinking back. She hasn’t talked much with him, not since that day. It’s a random text here and there, but other than that she has been focusing on herself, as he said she should. Two months already, huh... Right, she thinks as she sits up. She’s been at it since seven in the morning, it’s now two in the afternoon and she is not getting anything done. She needs to stretch her legs, maybe a jog or something, anything that can give her a break from studying. With a sigh she gets up and changes into a training outfit and puts her hair up. Grabbing her keys, wallet and phone she exits the apartment and just barely manages to lock the door before she hears feet stomping down the hall. She turns around and sees John, furious as all hell. Babylon hasn’t seen him since the incident over two months prior, and she haven’t expected to see him yet either, as Michael had told her that he was not allowed near her until the trial was over and done with. That’s yet another few weeks away, if she remembers correctly.

“You stupid little slag!” He starts, getting up in her face, breathing heavily and eyes narrowed. He looks dangerous, like he’s about to do something drastic. “Because of you I was tossed out of the university and lost my scholarship! It’s all your fault!” The man snarls at her, and Babylon finds herself filled to the brim with annoyance.

“How in the world is it my fault?” She demands.

“Who was in my photos? You! That was you, and you got the coppers involved when I wasn’t even serious about sharing the photos!”

“You had no right to take those photos in the first place! You committed a crime, that’s on you!” Babylon shoots back.

“It was no big deal, you overreacted!” Babylon wants to tell him that it was in fact her family lawyer who pressed charges on Babylon’s behalf, and that it happened because he was a fucking moron and did it in public, with several witnesses.

“So?” John demands suddenly and she narrows her eyes.

“So?” She repeats.

“How are you going to take responsibility?”

“This mess is your own doing! Take some bloody responsibility for it yourself!”

“ _You know what?”_ John roars, pushing her back and her back collides with the door. “You ruin my life, I’ll ruin yours! I’ll post your faggot parents address online, then someone will-“ John is too busy ranting to notice the sudden shift in Babylon’s body language, but he’s soon extremely aware of the pain blooming in his face following a rather sickening crunch. He flails and falls over with a shout of pain. His hand flies up to cradle his nose and comes back covered in blood.

“Wha’ ‘he fuck?”

_“The reason you’re in this mess is because you’re a bloody asshole with just enough braincells to keep your body going, you absolute pathetic piece of trash! If anything happens to my family, I’ll hold you accountable, and snap you in two like a twig, you cheeto-faced fuck-muppet!”_ She snarls at him before storming past him and out onto the sidewalk.

Bus, bus, bus, she needs to catch the bus, now she needs a ticket, ticket, come on, keep the change Mr. Driver, Sir, thank you. Her mind is a mess of jumped up thoughts and emotions, but she knows where she has to go. Her hand hurts a lot.

* * *

Bada only has an hour left of his shift, it’s been an early one, and he’s tired as all hell, though the E.R shifts usually leaves him exhausted.

“Hey, Bada, come join us tonight, eh?” A fellow nurse claps his shoulder and Bada looks up. He was invited to this outing earlier this week, a gathering of the single workers for a very specific reason. Bada could have joined, perhaps he would have before he found a romantic interest in Babylon. He shakes his head, declining.

“Oh come on, mate.” The other man groans. “You’re still waiting for that girl? It’s been two months. If she hasn’t shown up yet, she’s not worth it.” Bada frowns. He had told his friend about having taken a liking to a woman, and that he is waiting for this specific person to be ready. He has not, however, told him why he is waiting, or having to wait at all. Still, the words are uncalled for.

“Robbie, that’s… alright, I’ll explain in the shortest way possible; She suffered a traumatic experience with her former partner. She’s scared and hurt, and I can’t snap my fingers and say everything is okay.” Robbie, to his credit, looks ashamed.

“Shit, sorry, Bada, I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have said that if I knew.”

“No, you’re right, you didn’t know.” Bada says, just as the doors open and the sound of footsteps in quick succession follows. Both men look up and Bada pauses. It’s Babylon, and she looks a little bit lost, dishevelled and her hand is bleeding. He moves over and carefully gets in her line of sight. She blinks before beaming at him.

“Oh, you’re here.” She says. “You didn’t answer your phone when I ran, so I guessed you were at work, but I didn’t know how to find you.”

“Are you alright?” He asks and she tilts her head, appearing confused.

“Hm? Yes, I am fine.”

“Your hand is bleeding.” He points out gently and she holds it up for inspection before shaking her head.

“It’s not important. I want to ask you something instead.” Bada leads her to a bed and tells her to sit while he examines the split skin over her knuckles. He tells her, gently yet firmly, to stay in place while he goes to find anti-septic to clean her wound and bandages to wrap her hand in. When she moves to follow he turns around and tells her yet again to wait, this time more firmly and she pouts, but does as told. When he’s found the supplies and has returned to her side, he asks her to explain what happened.

“No, I came here to ask you something much more important than some split skin. What happened to my hand isn’t important at all, Bada! Please listen!” He just looks at her, brows furrowed, before he tries again.

“Ms. Crowley-Fell, your skin is torn and bleeding. What happened to cause this, are you alright?”

“Bada.” She says, her voice even and with a hint of finality to it. ”I’m better now than I’ve been for quite a while.” He gauges her for a moment before nodding, going back to cleaning the wound.

“Alright, ask your question.”

“Be mine.”

“That’s a demand, not a question.” He points out, painfully calm on the outside, but feeling his heartbeat pick up.

“I need an answer though.”

“Alright.”

“So, we’re together then?”

“I said yes.” He raises a brow and she shrugs.

“Just making sure, you know.” Babylon says, before pausing. “That was utterly non-romantic. Give me a new chance to sweep you off of your feet.”

“Your treat then.” Bada grins at her and she laughs. And suddenly it’s like how it used to be before that afternoon. It’s easy and comfortable and just right again, and he starts to believe that she truly is feeling alright again.

“It’s a date then. Just give me a few days, I’m struggling a bit with my bachelor-article. Now I’ve got more of an incentive to work hard now.”

“Of course. Now, I’ve answered your demand, now answer my question; What caused this?” He holds up her now fully cleaned, wounded hand and she purses her lips.

“Well… John showed up-“ She’s cut off by a loud racket as someone storms through the door. It’s John and he looks a right mess. Babylon finds it altogether satisfying to see him look so miserable and in pain as he leans against his mate for support. The moment he sees her though, it appears like he is reinvigorated, and he charges over.

“Yuh bro’e mah nohse!” He screams. Babylon remains deadly calm though.

“And I’ll break your jaw next if you keep on screaming.” She growls, eyes flashing. Bada feels a chill go down his spine and John grows quiet.

“Get!” She snaps and he scampers away. Bada watches as another nurse and John’s mate intercepts him and leads him to a bed to be examined.

“That’s what happened to my hand.” Babylon finally says. “I punched him in the nose.” Bada shouldn’t laugh, so he doesn’t. At least not loud, but a few quiet snickers do escape him.

“Good lord you’re terrifying.” He says with a shake of his head.

“That’s why you like me.” Babylon crows, and he snorts as he begins bandaging her hand.

“It’s on the list of reasons, yes.” He admits. “Are you truly better now?”

“What does it look like to you?” He looks her over, dishevelled and bandaged hand and concludes.

“You look better, but seriously, we need to stop meeting like this.”

Babylon guffaws loudly at that.


	9. Chapter 9

Bada has never seen a snake up close before. He’s been in a zoo before, but they never went and looked at snakes, therefore he has not made himself an opinion of the animal yet. But now, with a lapful of his girlfriend and her six feet long Brazilian rainbow boa, he is starting to make an opinion. First of all, watching her lug around the giant reptile is kinda hot. Watching her cuddle them and nap with them is adorable. But he also has the distinct feeling that the animal is glaring at him whenever she turns her attention on her boyfriend instead of her pet.

Which is kind of ridiculous, because a pet snake wouldn’t be jealous of him. Right? Babylon kisses his cheek and Basilisk hisses.

Right?!

“Here.” Babylon says, holding Basilisk out. “Why don’t you try holding him?”

“Er…”

“Or are you not comfortable with reptiles?” And she looks so forlorn at the thought that he just can’t say no. So he lets her ease the snake over into his grip, and, well, it’s a bit weird. He’s used to fur, not scales, but it’s not a bad feeling. It’s kind of fun really. He grows a bit wary when Basilisk moves up to flick his tongue in front of his face, but relaxes as the snake moves away.

“You need to keep your hands moving, so that he has something to climb on. Basil is pretty calm, Crawly is very energetic, that’s why I brought out Basil. Thought it would be easier for your to handle.” And that’s sweet of her. After all, being together with her means that he will have to be acquainted with the snakes. He may not have to be all that touchy-feely with them, but he’ll have to get somewhat used to them. After all, she’s had these pets almost her whole life, she loves them, and she looks so excited to see him play with the snake it’s endearing. And it’s not as bad as people make it out to be either. Basilisk is actually quite likable, he thinks, as he hands him back to her. Basilisk wounds around Babylon, and lays his head on her shoulder, tongue flicking out repeatedly, and then he raises his head and flicks it out against her cheek. She giggles.

And now Bada is getting the feeling that Basilisk is being smug. And that is just… it is just so bloody ridiculous, isn’t it? A few days later he is playing with Crawly. Despite the fact that the older snake is indeed more energetic and playful, Bada feels like this one is actually more friendly, and less smug and less prone to making the human jealous, which begs the question:

Who the fuck gets fucking jealous of a pet???

Okay, actually, he has heard stories of boyfriends being jealous of their partner’s pets, but he always thought it was ridiculous. He still thinks it’s ridiculous. But when they go out for lunch, or they make dinner at his flat and have movie nights (being at her place had backfired spectacularly when he had walked out half-naked from her bedroom and seen her roommates sit in the living room with scarlet faces) or just go for walks or jogs together, he has all of her attention. And, well, it’s nice. As sappy as it sounds, it’s nice. And maybe it’s just the overflowing feelings of affection he has, or it’s something else entirely, but he’s going to enjoy it.

And it’s nice. It really is. After getting her bachelors degree, she went to work on her master’s. So of course that means that sometimes she is too busy to see him, and he gets that, because he has his own work which leaves him too exhausted to be good company at times. What he does like is when she comes over to stay at his place for a few days, getting most of the reading done while he’s at work. He gets her all for himself then, and, well, he enjoys it, he enjoys being around her and when she laughs in that loud, booming way of hers, it’s contagious.

So yes, when they’re at her parent’s place, he learns how to deal with the snakes. He will admit, seeing her feed them live food is, well, it’s an acquired taste to watch. It’s actually kind of sick, but, well, they’re his girlfriend’s pets. And she loves them a lot. And he doesn’t actually have to watch her feed them, but he does with some kind of morbid fascination and if he feels uneasy about it, it’s his own fault for watching when she says he doesn’t have to. But he gets used to most of it, and there are times when they have both the snakes out when they visit her parents for dinner, this one family dinner they have each week which Bada has become a part of.

This time, Bada sits with Crawly, who seems to take to the man rather well, while Babylon is all wrapped up in Basilisk. And again Bada sits, fighting hard not to glare at the smug looking boa. Because the bloody snake looks smug, especially when it makes Babylon giggle while tickling her. And then Bada notices how Crawly is hanging over his shoulder, staring unblinkingly at Basilisk as well. Snakes don’t have eyelids, so of course he doesn’t blink, but it’s the way that Crawley stares that makes Bada wonder a bit, and then the snake turns towards him and flicks his tongue out.

Bada doesn’t know if he should feel better or worse about the fact they both seem to be kind of jealous at Basilisk.

But bloody hell… Bada is jealous of a snake and he feels like a bloody idiot for it.


End file.
